Pick-key for zithers.



No. 678,l40. Patented July 9, l90l. J. 0. st. JOHN.

PICK KEY FOR ZITHERS.

(Application filed Aug. 18, 1900.) (N0 Model.)

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. ST. JOHN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TOCHARLES A. RICHARDSON, OF SAME PLACE.

PICK-KEY FOR ZITHERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 678,140, dated. Jul 9,1901.

Application filed August 18, 1900. Serial No. 27,253. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. ST. JOHN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Pick-Keys for Zithers,850., of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawingsrepresenting like parts.

Myinvention is an improvementin stringed instruments, being particularlyadapted to zithers, autoharps, and the like; and it has for its objectthe provision of a plectrum or pick-key capable of giving acomparatively rigid and firm pick to the string and also preferablysimultaneously operating a cushion or damper arranged to cooperate withthe various fine and coarse strings of the usual instrument. Therequirements of a musical instrument of this character are exceedinglydelicate and difficult to meet for the best resnltsas, for instance, thestrings are of different sizes, and while they should be theoreticallylevel, yet in practice they are uneven, so that it is difficult to get adamper which will act uniformly on these uneven strings, and, moreover,it is desirable that the damper should remain in damping contact withall the strings excepting those which are being picked and that thedamper should be actuated directly by the movement of the pickkey and bedirectly responsive thereto. The parts also of the damper and itsactuator and the pick-actuating mechanism should be compact andincapable of any clicking, rattling, scraping, or other sound, while atthe same time being long lived under more or less rough usage.

In its preferred form the pick itself is formed as a separate part fromthe carrier and actuator thereof, being mounted loosely between twopost-like parts guided in a vertical movement by any suitable sustainingdevice and held toward each other and normally in raised position by aspring, the result being that the pick proper is pinched or retarded bythe frictional engagement on its opposite sides of the adjacent ends ofthe postlike members, so that while'it is free to be swung by contactwith the cam-surfaces referred to it is prevented by this frictionalretardation from swinging any farther than it should be swung.

Stated in general terms, my invention comprises the provision of acomparatively rigid pick capable of free up-and-down movement andmounted'adjacent to a cam-surface by means of which the pick, while freeto engage astring in its downward movement, is turned to one side ordeflected away from said string while moving up past the string again,and then engages another cam-surface which restores the pick to itsnormal picking position, the key which carries said pick being providedwith a pressure device or damper-actuator cooperating with a yielding ordistensible and compressible cushion extending transversely between thestrings of the instrument in position to be engaged by any one of theseveral keys of the instrument.

Further advantages and the preferred embodiment of my invention will beset forth in detail in the following description, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and the invention will be more particularlydefined in the appended claims, forming a part of this specification. v

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of any suitable stringedinstrument, showing a sufficient portion thereof with my inventionapplied thereto to enable th 1*:- to'be understood. Fig. 2 taken on theline 2 2, Fig. tails of my invention great 3 is a central longitudinalx53 1 the line 3 3, Fig. 1, the parts being broken away for clearness ofillustration, this figure, however, showing the parts in the relativepositions when the pick has been operated and is in its most depressedposition, whereas Fig. 2 shows the parts in their normal position beforebeing operated. Fig. 4' is a horizontal transverse section taken on theline 4 4, Fig. 2, this figure also indicating in dotted lines theposition assumed by the pick when depressed. Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of the pick proper.

It will be understood that the keyboard A and arrangement and kind ofstrings a may 100 be of any usual or preferred kind which it is desiredto play or provide with pick-keys and a damper. Various kinds of devicesof this general character have already been provided, most of them beingmore or less complicated and all of them, so far as I am aware, beingquite liable to get out of order because of the frailty of the parts oryielding character and complicated arrangement thereof, and therefore Iwish to direct attention at the beginning to the simplicity ofconstruction, durability, and comparative rigidity of the parts of myinvention and also to the facility with which any one portion thereof,if worn, may be replaced. The keys K are mounted in or on the frame ofthe instrument or secured in position in any suitable manner, beinghere- 'in shown as supported in a keyboard A, and

in the preferred embodiment,as herein shown, comprise a tubular support7a, although not restricted thereto, said support acting as a guide forthe plringer-likedevice,herein shown as consisting of a lower part orpostlike member k and an upper part 7;", provided with a finger-rest orthumb piece k and a pick proper, 7c, mou nted between the adjacent endsof the parts it" and The pick proper is shown in Fig. 5, where it willbe seen to comprise a tongue, of metal or other suitable substance,rigidly secured to a pin M, which projeets above and below the tongue orpick .proper, the latter being preferably upturned at its end toconstitute a picking-lip adapted to give the best effects as it picksthe string. The projecting ends of the pin are mounted in suitable holesor recesses provided therefor in the adjacent ends of the members is andk thus constituting one convenient means for mounting the pick inposition, although I am not restricted thereto, nor, in fact, to any ofthe other details herein specifically set forth otherwise than asexpressed in the claims. The movable parts already mentioned are heldnormally in raised position by a spring 796, which bears against thelowerend of the part 70 and against a plug orany other retaining means kat the lower end of the key. The part A of the key is held againstrotation by a depending arm or damper-actuator it fastened at one end tothe thumbpiece 70 and in sliding engagement in the projecting car 70",against the lower side of which is adapted to contact a stop it saidstop preferably consisting of a piece of felt secured in a notch 70 inthe damper actuator. The lower end of the actuator 7c is laterallyextended, as indicated at k and extends substantially at right angles tothe normal position of the pick 7;, in position to engage a damper 7c.Said damper is herein shown as consisting of a hollow memberortube,which may be made of rubber or any other material capable ofbeing compressed and extended and resilient either because of thematerial or contained air or other means, said tube extendingacross thekeyboard beneath the keys.

The damper 7c is of a yielding nature, such that if one string should beslightly lower than the adjacent strings the damper will yield towhatever position the said string or any other strings may be in,thereby bringing substantially the same damping pressure on all therespective strings, while at the same time being capable of beinginstantly depressed at any point by any key which may be operated, theoperation being clearly indicated in Fig. 3.

Viewing Fig. 2, it will be seen that the pick or plectrum 7; extends outthrough an aperture in the guide is, said aperture preferably having acurved or cutout portion 7;, the lower curve thereof, 70 comingsubstantially in line with the vertical descending movement of the pick.The purpose of these two pertions of the opening is to enable the pickAl to descend in its picking movement without sliding contact with anypart, but simply passing freely from its upper position until it strikesthe slanting surface it, and this surface is made quite steep or isgiven an easy slant in order that there may be no sound produced by thestriking against the same of the pick. Below the point it is acam-surface 70, which serves to deflect the pick 70 from the full-lineposition, Fig. 1-, to the dot ted-line position, thereby turning saidpick entirely out of any possible engagement with the string as the pickrises after having been depressed. Above the cam-surface 7.! is asubstantially similarcam-snrface 7t, extend ing approximately parallelto the surface it and operating in the same manner, but in a reversedirection,tl1ese two cam-surfaces serving to turn the pick on its pivotfirst to the left, Fig. at, away from the string, and then to the right,Fig. 4, in line with the string for again picking the latter. Thisswinging movement of the pick is effected by the several cam-surfacesmentioned in opposition to the frictional resistance of the adjacentends or sections of the actuating-post or pick plunger or actuator.

Briefly stated, the operation of my invcrv tion is as follows: The partsbeing in the position shown in Fig. 2, if it is desired to pick a stringthe operator places his finger upon the thumb-piece 75 and quicklydepresses the same, thereby simultaneously removing the damper 75 fromcontact with the string and at the same time bringing the pick it instriking engagement with the string a. The pick is not in slidingcontact with anything whatever excepting the string when picking thelatter; but the moment that it has passed the string it strikes thesteep incline [J15 of the cam-surface noiselessly and is deftly swung tothe left of said surface by the surface it, during which movement thedamper 75 is further depressed to an extent sutlicient to carry itentirely beyond all possibility of in fluence with the vibrations of thepicked string, this movement, however, not being s'uflicient to affectsaid damper with relation to adjacent strings. The operator havingpermitted the picked string to vibrate the length of time requiredsimply removes his finger from the key, and thereupon the springinstantly raises the pick and damper actuator, the former beingimmediately swung back and by-the surface 70" to the position shown inFig. 2 and the damper permitted to reengage the string, there being,however, no noise in any of these movements because of the slantingcam-surfaces and because of the felt stop is which engages the ear kjust as the pick has about reached the top of the surface 70", as shown.

While it has been one aim of my invention to provide a comparativelyrigid pick k which would not be required to yield materially in pickingthe strings and would not be required to have any spring action orresilient movement for the purpose of avoiding the string when againrestored to operative position, yet I do not wish to be restricted inthis respect excepting as to those claims where the said feature isincorporated, and I wish it understood also that my main object has beento simplify this kind of device and to produce a device capable ofinstantaneous movement without uncertainty and with as few and simplyconstructed parts as possible.

In accomplishing my purpose it will be seen that I have used simply twoposts, or, as it may be termed, a post made in two sections,constituting the pick-actuator, said posts being entirely withoutcomplication or peculiar const-ruction and simply maintaining the pickbetween them and being guided in an ordinary tube provided with acam-shaped slot or opening through which the pick projects, and it willbe seen that the damper is also of the simplest construction, beingsimply a resilient tube or cushion, and its actuator is equally simple,being merely a depending finger.

Ihave taken pains to point out the simplicity of my invention, becausethis very simplicity constitutes the chief merit of my invention, and ithas been this simplicity which I have striven to secure.

I-Iaving described my invention,. what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A pick-key for musical instruments,comprising a pick in the form of asubstantially rigid tongue, an actuator for depressing and raising saidpick, the latter projecting transversely to the length of theactuator, aguide for said actuator, and means for shifting said pick axially of theactuator out of the path of said string in the upward movement of thepick.

2. A pick-key for musical instruments,comprising a pick in the form of asubstantially rigid tongue, an actuator for depressing and raising saidpick, a tubular guide within which said actuator moves, and acam-surface cut in said tubular guide, through which the pick projectslaterally, for shifting said pick out of the path of said string in theupward movement of the pick.

3. Apick-key for musical instruments,comprising a pick-actuator,composedof two parts placed end to end, a pick mounted between said parts andcapable of swinging movement, said actuator serving to move said pick upand down, and means for swinging said pick to one side and back againduring its up-and-down movement.

4. A pick-key for musical instruments,com prising an actuator made inthe form of two post-like members placed end to end, a pick pivotallymounted between the contiguous ends thereof, a spring normally holdingsaid actuator in raised position andmaintaining said pick frictionallyin place, and a cam co- 8 5 operating with said pick as moved by saidactuator in swinging the pick to one side and back again during theactuation of the pick.

5. Apick-keyformusicalinstrumentsmom prising a pick, an actuatortherefor, and a cam-surface to be engaged by said pick, said actuatorcarrying said pick down and up, said pick in its downward movement firstpicking a string and then coming into contact with said cam-surface, andbeing deflect- 5 ed thereby, the upper end of said cam-surface beingsteep for preventing noise due to the engagement therewith of said pick.

6. Apick-key for musical instruments,comprising a pick, an actuatortherefor, and a cam-surface for moving said pick out of and intooperative position as it is actuated by the actuator, said pick beingmovable freely in its picking operation Without sliding con tact, andengaging said cam-surface after it has picked a string.

7. Apick-keyformusicalinstruments,comprising an actuator, a pick carriedthereby,

a guide for said actuator, a cam-opening in said guide, said pickprojecting through said 1 IO opening and being capable of swinging moveby engagement with the cam-su opening, said guide having an ev w Ypending part carried by said a moving in said ear to prevent rotactuator','and containing a proj g adapted to engage with said ear, andlimit the movement of the actuator and pick.

8. Apick-key for musicalinstruments,com- 12o prising an actuator, a pickcarried'thereby, a cam-surface for swinging said pick laterally and backagain, an arm moving with said actuator, a stop extending transverselyof said arm and carried thereby for limiting the movement of saidactuator, a damper in the form of a resilient tube mounted transverselyof the strings beneath said arm and actuated thereby simultaneously withsaid pick.

9. In a musical instrument, a keyboard, playing-strings mounted inposition, a pickkey mounted adjacent a string to pick the same, a damperextending transversely of ment relatively to said guide, being swung Vand beneath said strings, said damper conthereof, and means foractuating said daxn- 1o sisting" of a resilient tube, and means operper.

ated by said key for depressing said damper In testimony whereof I havesigned my and thereby removing it from damping euname to thisspecification in the presence of 5 gagernent with the string beingpicked. two subscribing Witnesses.

10. In a musical instrument, a keyboard, JOHN C. S". JOHN.playing-strings mounted in position thereon, \Vituesses: a resilienttubular damper extending nor- GEO. H. MAXWELL,

nialiyin contact with said strings transversely CHARLES A. RICHARDSON;

